[Center for Security Policy] South Africa's ruling party The African National Congress (ANC) is currently playing host to foreign terrorist organization Hamas, including leaders Khaled Mashaal and Mousa Abu Marzook. Mashaal met personally with South African president Jacob Zuma, exchanged gifts and signed a letter of intent for future cooperation. The ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said the ANC would be "starting a relationship with Hamas" and that the two would work together in "all struggles for freedom of Palestine."South Africa's support for the terrorist organization Hamas does not come as a particular shock. South Africa has grown increasingly close to a number of rogue actors, including Iran, Sudan, and Hamas.
Birds of a feather.
South Africa's ever-closer alignment with Hamas has been a long time coming, facilitated by local South African Muslim Brotherhood-linked organizations. Specifically, the two organizations that are sponsoring a rally on October 21st Rally, to welcome Hamas, the Muslim Judicial Council and the Al Quds Foundation-South Africa.
The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) is one of the leading South African Islamic organization established in 1945, but opening its first formal office in 1982. It describes itself as "a Muslim Judiciary" for South Africa, and manages everything from Halal inspection of food to issuing Islamic legal rulings, or fatwas.
It is also the South African branch of the global Hamas fundraising network known as The Union of the Good. This gives the MJC the same role in South Africa as was played by the Holy Land Foundation (HLF) in the United States. In 2008, HLF and its founders were convicted for their role in supporting material support for Hamas.
The love affair continues.